Promising Forever
by Kai-Elle Kringalls
Summary: Is that wedding bells I hear? As a matter of fact, it WAS wedding bells that Hermione heard. Ginny's getting herself hitched, Hermione's in love... and with Sirius Black, of all people, who happens to be the best man! What can you do but read about it?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is my first fanfiction of this sort… and definitely my first in a long while, so be nice to me, I beg you! Constructive criticism is, however, _always _appreciated. But I hope you enjoy, whether or not you have any valuable advice to offer me. ;)  
. . .  
. . .

There was a certain edge in the air that night. The aroma wafted through one room and led to the next. It seemed to seek someone, calling out for help. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. Its pungency was spreading throughout the house, frantically now, circling around a woman sitting comfortably in the corner of a couch. She was reading her newest book.

There was a gasp. "No!" Quite suddenly, the book was turned over on her lap. An objecting groan resounds. "_No… _I don't want him to DIE! He doesn't die. Does he die?" The girl reluctantly flips the book over again. She has to find out at some point.  
But it's irate now and growing stronger—the acidic odor finally hits her as she takes a deep calming breath. She blinks in surprise and looks up. Noticing the thick cloud of smoke in the room, she slams her book down on the floor and shouts to her friend as she races to the kitchen.

"Gin? _Ginny! _Something's burning! What are you—"

But, evidently, Ginny Weasley already knows that something is burning. The redheaded girl is practically running in circles, trying wildly to get dinner under control. She's turned the fan on, turned the oven off, has removed the black chicken from the stove and is in the process of opening the window above the sink so that she can stick the smoking pan out into the cool night air.

"For heaven's sake Ginny, I don't understand _why _you refuse to use magic!"

"It tastes better the muggle way!" The Weasley girl proclaims. "Besides, how you cook intrigues me."

Laughing loudly, Hermione Granger forgets her book entirely and proceeds to help her old friend open the window. "It most certainly does _not _taste better when the muggle way ends up looking like _this!_"

"It's not funny!" Ginny is irritated, "I was trying really hard! I just can't cook. I _can't!_"

Hermione smothers her laughter and smiles instead. "Yes you can. You just… aren't good with the stove. _Yet_, that is. You'll learn!" She encourages.

The other girl doesn't seem to find much comfort in this as she pulls the chicken in through the window. Wrinkling her nose as she scratches them out of the burnt pan, they fall onto a plate with a hard _clunk_. "Well!" She begins, "Since _that _was a disaster… how do you feel about ice-cream?"

Since Hermione wasn't all that hungry to begin with (and since ice-cream sounded particularly good that moment) she agreed without any complaint.

The two girls have been friends for over ten years and have been roommates for just under six. They had grown up together, in a sense. Hermione was easily a part of Ginny's family and both girls shared the same friends. Throughout the twists and turns that life had thrown at them, they had grown together in many ways. The girls were the best of friends… and neither used the term lightly.

"Have you heard from Harry?" Hermione asks casually. She was sitting on the couch again, but this time she's eating a bowl of mint ice-cream.

Ginny is across the room on a large cushioned chair. She looks suspicious but smiles. "Yeah. He came over yesterday…" Hermione doesn't bother to hide her grin, and Ginny sighs happily. "He wants to hang out with us this weekend."

A thoughtful but comfortable silence lapses while the girls enjoy their ice-cream. It didn't seem like that long ago that a young Ginny woke up to find_ Harry Potter _sitting in her kitchen. _Merlin, _she remembered it well, _I was in my pajamas! _Harry was, of course, famous and well known… and she'd always had a bit of a crush on him. Being as he was one of Hermione's closest friends, the stories of those days had always thoroughly amused the frizzy haired witch. Glancing at her roommate, Hermione smiled softly. Of course, Ginny had never really gotten over that crush. She grew up, yes, and with her maturing her confidence grew right along with his interest.

Ginny and Harry definitely liked each other—that much was more than obvious. There was a long stretch of time when they had been a bit young for such a serious relationship, and neither of them had been willing to have anything but a serious relationship given the circumstances. They were close and they didn't want to ruin it. This all went unspoken, of course, which made things awkward at times. Hermione had encouraged her friends to talk to each other about it… but Ginny felt too awkward to do so and Harry didn't want to push her.

"Just don't rush into anything, okay?" Hermione said, ever the logical one and always worried about her friends.

Ginny shook her head. "I certainly don't plan on it." She laughed, "But, then again, it's been a long time coming! I just hope it doesn't get awkward…."

Hermione wondered absentmindedly how her life would change when her friend got married. Many thought Hermione to be more career oriented then Ginny, who desperately wanted a family. But in truth, Hermione wanted her own family just as badly. _In fact, _she pondered, _I may just want it more... _Both girls had always figured they would be married by twenty-three or so… and yet, here they were… Hermione at twenty-four and Ginny at twenty-three and it had not yet happened for them. Well, whatever the outcome, it would be weird loosing her roommate after spending such a long time with her.

"Do you remember," The frizzy haired witch began with an amused smile, "When we fought over Seamus?"

"Do I ever." Ginny groaned in acknowledgment. But then she laughed. "Eleven years and he is _still _the topic of conversation amongst us! What brought this on? We haven't had problems with him in years!"

Hermione shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't tell you before now…"

Ginny's eyes widened in anticipation. "Oh, Merlin's beard… what happened now?"

"I was shopping for that chicken of yours—" Amusement tickled at her lips. "When, low and behold, I bump into an all-too familiar Irishman! Seamus recognized me immediately and went into how good it is to see me and such. Oh, you should see him, Ginny! I'm so glad neither of us ended up with him."

Seamus had been a spectacular friend and, as such, had appealed to both girls for a short amount of time. Unfortunately, they had each played into his hands—simultaneously—and he ended up using them both. Oh, Hermione didn't blame him completely… but he had certainly caused a fair share of drama that year of Hogwarts.

Ginny looked sick with the mere thought. "Well, he better not think he's welcome into our lives again. If he disrupts this four year record of peace more than he already has, I'll murder him once and for all."

Hermione nodded in whole-hearted agreement but said nothing more, busying herself with scraping at the bottom of her ice-cream bowl. It was only the light tinkering of spoons clinking against bowls that broke up the silence for a while more. Finally, Ginny broke the silence with a question that had obviously been haunting her for a while.

"Do you think I should date him?"

Hermione couldn't help screeching in mock-horror, "_Seamus_?!"

"Ugh, no!" Ginny quickly hurled the pillow next to her across the room at her friend. "No… Harry, I meant. Harry. Do you think we'd be good together?"

Smiling, Hermione shrugged. "Well, are you serious about him?

The redhead grabbed her hair in a brief surge of emotion and let out a frustrated groan. "I am. Of course, I am! I mean, I think I am. It seems so weird, but—I don't know, I just… I've _always _liked him. I've _always _thought he was a good guy, and wondered if it would work for us. I'm afraid that it's just a childhood crush that I can't get over, though. How do I know I sincerely like him?"

Hermione laughed softly. "By looking in your heart… I know it sounds cheesy, but really. Reach inside of yourself and tell me… do you like him?"

There was a small moment of silence while Hermione observed her friend. Ginny's light pink lips twitched. Her eyes twinkled and a small smile bloomed across her face. Hermione laughed again, happy for her friend, but also sad for herself.

"Oh, what's that?" She joked, "Is that wedding bells I hear?"

Both girls dissolved into fits of girlish giggles and spent the rest of the night talking about their man-friends when they were only boys.  
. . .  
. . .

As a matter of fact, it_ was _wedding bells that Hermione had heard that night. Within two months Ginny had gotten herself romantically entangled in a relationship with Harry. Four months of dating and the two were seriously discussing marriage. Another two months in and Harry was asking Hermione to help him pick out a ring. Hermione happily agreed, of course, and within another month Ginny was engaged to be Mrs. Harry Potter. Happy as she was for the two, Hermione couldn't help but feel negative about the upcoming changes in her life. She'd expected it, really… but not for another year, at least! It came so fast… and so did the wedding.

It was the night of the rehearsal dinner. It wasn't going to be a particularly dressy occasion, but both girls did their hair and makeup as if it was. Hermione pulled on her nicest jeans and, still buttoning them, went to find her friend. Ginny was so jumpy with excitement that Hermione couldn't help but laugh. The redheaded bride-to-be had been practicing walking around the house in heels for the last three days, and after much tripping, stumbling, and even more complaining… she had improved quite a bit!

Ginny grabbed hold of Hermione's shoulders. "_This is it!_" The whisper was dramatic, and Hermione laughed again.

"No, my friend, _tomorrow _is it! Now—if you're ready—let us leave to rehearse the 'it' that will be happening tomorrow!" She wrinkled her nose. "Never mind, leave the 'it' for the privacy of your honeymoon suite, please. We'll just rehearse the wedding ceremony."

Ginny shoved her friend playfully before biting her lip and slapping her hands over her cheeks. "Oh, I'm so nervous!"

Pulling her toward the door, Hermione grinned. "You should be! You're marrying _Harry!_In front of your _brothers!_ You guys might not _make it_ to your honeymoon suite!"

"Oh, don't even joke like that. Harry has always been part of the family! You know my brothers love him!"

"And so do you, so cheer up!"

"Who said I wasn't cheery?"

"…Nobody. Me? I don't know. Can we go?"

Ginny snorted. "How come you seem more excited for this rehearsal than I do?"

"Because you know you're walking to your doom, while I know I look hot and might meet a few cute guys!"

Ginny shook her fists in a mock threat. "Watch it missy! Keep your hands off my guy!"

"Harry is all yours, Gin, so don't worry about a thing."

"Oh. Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Hermione blinked as her friend sashayed through the front door and apparated on the spot. Despite the sudden disappearance, she followed without much hesitation. "We've been waiting on _you, _you crazy witch!"

Ginny was happier than she'd ever been, that much Hermione was sure of. As soon as the ring was on her finger, she had immediately appointed Hermione her maid of honor.

"I hope the groomsmen got all their stuff to Harry's place…" Hermione, it seemed, had apparated in on Ginny's random mutterings. "They're supposed to be staying there after dinner tonight. Oh, goodness! I can't believe we have to be ready for the photographer by _eleven!_ What am I going to do with my _hair? _I haven't even decided yet!"

The muggle-born only rolled her eyes with a smile. She had been involved in enough weddings to know that this was quite normal. Ginny's, however, was the first that she had been so _intimately _involved with. She'd put forth just as much of her blood and sweat as everyone else had tears! _And, _she thought, _that's a lot!_ Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Hey! You never told me who the groomsmen are!" She was even more astonished that she never thought to ask. "I don't even know who I'm being forced to walk down the isle with! He isn't ugly is he?"

Though she was joking, Ginny still threw her a disapproving look. It melted quickly enough and, her mind temporarily relieved of its stress, she chuckled. "Sirius is the best man…" She paused a moment, as if weighing her friend's reaction. "Ron, Fred, and George are the groomsmen."

Hermione arched an eyebrow, her thoughts reeling. "Sirius?"

Ginny smiled mischievously. "Hermione Jane Black has a certain ring, doesn't it?"

Jaw dropping, Hermione gasped. "No! I mean, that's not what I was—I mean to say, I wasn't… but do you really think so?"

"I really, really do."

"…I thought for sure Ron would be the best man! I can't believe I never even… _considered _Sirius being here! And of course he'd be here, he's Harry's Godfather!"

Ginny laughed. "I didn't completely expect it either, but I wasn't exactly surprised. Sirius means a lot to him, and it means a lot that Sirius is supporting him and by his side through this whole thing."

Hermione had nothing to say. Her thoughts were still reeling.

But nothing needed to be spoken. Ginny understood. Somehow, though she wasn't sure exactly _how_, this seemed to change things. Much like Harry to Ginny, but in a completely different way, Sirius Black had stolen Hermione Granger's heart. He was a friend and a confident through some of the hardest times in her life. But he had also managed to become one of the only sources of cheer—other than Fred and George—through his (sometimes forced) light-hearted mischievous nature. _Even when he had lost more than any of us, perhaps _all _of us…_and so she had fallen in love with him. _In love. _But he never knew.

There were moments when Ginny, and even Hermione, would have sworn that the feelings were mutual. Hermione smiled a small smile, one that barely tickled the edges of her mouth. _I still get butterflies when I think of him. _She'd always thought something more might have formed between them, but he was quite a few years older. Yes, quite a few… and he was Harry's godfather. Besides, it had always been absolutely impossible to hang out more than just once every few months after everyone got accustomed to the freedom that came with the end of the war. Eventually they'd drifted apart. She didn't see him but for the occasional dinner at the Weasley's. Her heart skipped a few beats in momentary excitement. It would be so amazing to see him again!

"Now, Hermione… don't rush into anything," Ginny's voice teased her gently.

"Oh, hush. I wouldn't do anything of the sort! Unlike you," Hermione interjected with a grin. "Practically married within a year…!"

Ginny waved her off. "You're just jealous."

In a way, Hermione admitted, she _was_. Never had she wanted anything more than she wanted a husband and, eventually, a _family_. She had always expected to be married before her friend and, here she was, taking part in her best friend's wedding… but still unmarried, herself.

"You know, we're here."

Hermione glanced around in mock surprise. "Oh, really…? I hadn't realized!"

Ginny only laughed. "What I mean is, we're here, why are we just standing in this ridiculous room? Come on, silly girl! I have a wedding to rehearse!"

By the time Hermione took a step toward the doorway, Ginny was halfway down the hall (which led to the entrance hall) and frolicking the rest of the way. Hermione yelled to her friend laughingly, "What are you doing? We're _twenty minutes_ early!"

Ginny turned, "So?" She gestured to hurry up. "Harry is here, at least… and so is Sirius! Come on!"

Sighing dramatically, Hermione ran to catch up with her friend. "_Fine_," She huffed. "We'll ruin what would have been the grand entrance later so you can spend time with the guy you'll be _married _to_ tomorrow_!"

"Are you sure you don't just want to see Sirius?" The future Mrs. Potter teased, leaning on the door.

Hermione gasped, placing a hand to her chest. "Me? Sirius?" She pushed through the door at the end of the hall and, suddenly aware that the boys were all standing on the other side, she grinned. "Of course! He's the cutest one here, after all!" She winked in their general direction as Ginny followed her, laughing.

Harry met the girls halfway saying, "Are you guys talking about me again?"

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Hermione laughed, hugging him briefly.

He ignored her jab and instead turned to his bride-to-be. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"

Ginny smiled, giving him a quick kiss as he wrapped her in a hug. "Fantastic, now that I'm with you again."

With a smile, Hermione left the two alone and turned toward the other men in the room. Immediately she locked eyes with Sirius. He looked the same as she remembered him from their last meeting, though his dark hair had grown out a bit. _And, _she thought with a smile, _he might have a bit more muscle…_

She gave a small wave and grinned at him, "It's been a while…!"

He returned her grin and, much to her surprise, immediately took a step forward and wrapped her in a hug. "No kidding! You look so different, 'Mione!"

She laughed, fingering her dark blond hair, meticulously curled especially for the occasion. She'd spent the last year masquerading as a blond, but she was almost ready to return to her natural color. "I suppose the hair was still brown the last time you saw me."

Sirius nodded, pulling back and tugging gently on a curl. "It was shorter, too."

George interrupted their conversation. "Hermione, darling, you _do _remember me and my dearest brother Fred, do you not? However could you ignore us so?"

"Oh, of course, and quite the misfortune, I must say!" She laughed and took a moment to give each twin a hug. "How could I forget blokes with such a phenomenal talent for getting into trouble? How are you doing, anyway?"

"Truth be told, my brainy little witch…" A dramatic pause, and then Fred finished with a surprisingly sheepish smile. "I'll be much better when we get to eat."

Despite the nerves from most everyone involved in the wedding, the evening went well. The family of the bride and groom (for everyone knows that Harry Potter has long since a part of the Weasley's household) were more anxious and worked up over the following day then Ginny and Harry! Hermione scoffed at the notion. These people had no reason to be fretting! _She _was the one who had to make the speech, after all. _She _was the one who had to adjust the bride's dress in front of a crowd without tripping in her heels or making a scene! _She _was the one who had been asked to sing at the ridiculous reception! _She _was the one who had to spend a considerable amount of time with Sirius Black—he was just _so _good looking—_without_ letting herself get attached to him!

Yes, Hermione sighed, it was quite certain that she had more reason to be fretting than even the bride herself.  
. . .  
. . .

**A/N: **Many thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Absentmindedly stroking the dark green material of her dress, Hermione pondered on what she would do after this day of celebration. Ginny would be gone. She wasn't sure she could afford their current place by herself, and she didn't want to invite just anybody to live with her. In fact, she really didn't want to move at all. She had grown quite attached to the place that she called home. But would it really feel like home without Ginny Weasley?

A frantic voice broke through her thoughts. "Hermione! Oh, _Hermione,_ my hair is_ ruined! _The veil isn't going in right!"

Hermione took one look at her friend and laughed softly. "Sweetheart, your hair is _perfect _and the only reason the veil isn't going in is because you're trying to do it yourself and—" She grabbed the veil from her friend. "You're _shaking!_"

The girl with fire for hair took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh as Hermione fixed the veil into her hair. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry… it's just—mom hasn't stopped _sobbing _all day, and dad is suddenly all threatening-like, and everybody keeps asking me if I'm _sure_ and I just—"

"_Are _you sure?" Hermione interrupted.

Ginny looked offended and screeched out indignantly, "Of course I'm sure!"

The muggle-born smiled. "And that's all that matters."

For a moment both girls looked on the brink of tears themselves when Ginny abruptly pulled her friend in a hug and squealed. "I'm getting _married!_"

Verity came in (with Fleur right behind her), who Ginny knew through Fred and George, holding up the front of her light sage green dress. She had taken off her heels, claiming that she was not going to wear them a moment longer than she had to since she was already going to have to stand in them for an hour! But now her dress was too long and she'd already tripped on the hem three times.

"People keep trying to come in and see you," She sounded annoyed. "I'm like,_ seriously_ though, people! You can't see the _bride _all dressed up before her man does! That's just not fair! Be patient and go sit down in your friggin' seat!"

The room had been reserved especially for the bride and her bridesmaids. The large sign on the door reading _Bridal Party Only_ must not have been pointed enough, as everyone and their sister's mother seemed to believe that this, of course, included them.

Fleur (who had become much more tolerable over the years) had an amused smile. "She reely does say eet like that, too."

"Well, they shouldn't be trying to sneak in to catch photographs of the stressed out bride and stress her further!"

The girls laughed and Ginny looked much more relaxed. A bright flash caught the precious moment in time, assuring that it would be looked upon quite fondly at a later date. "Too late…!" Colin Creevey, the camera man, smiled cheerfully. "But then, that is my job after all!"

"And you do it wonderfully," Hermione smiled. It was quite true. She had never met a wedding photographer that she liked as much as Colin. As much as he had annoyed her in their youth, she had to admit… he was good with children, he knew how to please a crowd, he had an interesting style of photojournalism, and he worked hard to make sure he got exactly what you wanted.

"Why, thank you, my dear!" He gave the same warm chuckle that he always did when he was being complimented. Before he could continue, a harrowed-looking woman peeked through the door.

"Girls, are you ready? Goodness Verity," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed in exasperation, "Put your shoes on, it's _time_!"

As if on cue, and perhaps it was just that, the music began to play. In a rush of excitement, there was hurried movement as everyone began to line up. Hermione, directly in front of Ginny, turned toward her friend. There was no longer any trace of nerves in the girl's eyes, only the bright warmth of true happiness. Her father, however, looked a bit tenser.

Hermione giggled and lifted her hand to pat his shoulder. "Lighten up, Mr. Weasley! This is a happy day, you know!"

The aging Arthur Weasley gave a little laugh and nodded. "I know, I know. It's weird giving up my first and only daughter, though. Not to mention my youngest…" He trailed off looking wistful, but quickly shook his head and came back to the present. "Somehow, I don't think I ever really believed this day would come!"

Ginny gasped in mock offense, placing a delicate hand to her chest. "Did you hear that, 'Mione? I think he just insulted me!" She turned to her father, moving her hand to her hip. "I know I have a temper, but surely I'm not _that _horrible!"

There was a slight pause, but in a rare moment of raw emotion, Arthur clasped his arms around his daughter tightly. Hermione turned to give them there moment of privacy. Well, she smiled, as private as it could be with the honorary parents and other relatives all watching them intently. Suddenly the music changed and Hermione felt her insides flutter. _This is it_.

Turning around again as the line started moving forward slowly, the Granger girl grasped a hold of Ginny's hands. "I just want to let you know, privately..." Ginny chuckled, unknowingly thinking the same things that her best friend had just a moment before. "That I love you, and I know you're making the right decision. I've always known you two would end up together someday!"

Ginny smiled, her eyes already tearing up slightly. "Oh," She groaned, dabbing gently at her eyes. "I don't know how I'm going to get through this without makeup streaming down my face!"

The line had moved up again. Hermione hugged her quickly before adjusting how her friend's veil fell around her hair one last time. "It won't even matter, because he'll still you the same way—as the most beautiful girl in the world, of course." One last smile for her friend and then she turned around. Surprised with how many people had gone in without her notice, she realized that she was next. Verity had just walked through the doors.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione stepped up to the door. For a moment, as she had been previously instructed, she paused to smile at Colin. He snapped a picture and he gave her a nod. "You look lovely," He whispered to her as she walked past. Giggling softly, she thanked him.

She heard the coos of approval from family and friends, heard the whispers of people anticipating the brides entrance just moments away… but she could not make out any of their words. She acknowledged the smiles and cameras with a smile of her own, saying silent prayers that nobody caught her looking unhappy.

Harry looked so anxious. Hermione almost giggled again as she stepped delicately up the stairs to take her place. She knew he was going to be floored. Ginny really did look absolutely gorgeous and Harry was too used to seeing her in sweatpants and tank tops to be prepared for the sight of her.

"Can we just get on with this, already?" The words were a soft mumble under his breath and at first she wasn't even sure if she'd heard him correctly. But the preacher chuckled, as if to confirm his words to her. While shaking her head in amusement, Sirius caught her gaze. He gave a pointed roll of his eyes toward the groom and winked at her, a little grin flitting over his features.

Butterflies tickled the inside of her stomach and she scolded herself for reacting in such a girlish manner to such a simple gesture. It was obvious he was simply sharing in her amusement and making fun of his friend and godson. But before she could dwell on it long the music changed once more and, all at once, the crowd of people stood. Like an angel in white, Ginny Weasley appeared. She floated gracefully through the doorway by her father's side… nobody would believe that just a week ago she was stumbling around the house like a giant troll in those very heels. Hermione felt her eyes begin to moisten as memories flooded her senses.

With a mental shake, she took control of her thoughts before she melted into a pool of tears. This was no time for such thoughts! Two of her best friends had found their perfect match! With each other! They were _happy_! And so joyful smiles were shared many times throughout that ceremony. To give Ginny credit, Hermione did not see her break into tears once throughout the entire ceremony. She looked happy and content, though her eyes did shine with a little bit of moisture every now and then. Such as when Harry repeated his chosen vows with a sincerity in his eyes that echoed through his voice.

"I, Harry Potter, choose _you_—Ginny—to be my friend, my lover, and my wife. Loving what I know of you and trusting what I do not yet know, I_ can't wait _to grow more together, getting to know the woman you will become. I know I'll continue to fall a little more in love every day…" He had re-worded the elegant vows, but it only made the moment all the more endearing. "I promise to love you and to cherish you through whatever life may bring us, and stay with you for all eternity."

The ring slid on her finger. Shakily, Ginny went through her own vows which were different upon their request. "Harry, I love you." The crowd _oooh_-ed and _awww_-ed and she paused a moment to chuckle. "You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad," a smile just for him. "When life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple… and when it's an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in the highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life."

The vows were precious, yes. The ceremony had gone beautifully, yes… but the best and most triumphant moment was definitely the one that quickly followed. The preacher put one hand on each of their shoulders and grinned at them. "Then may I present you _husband _and _wife_. Mr. Potter…?"

"Yes, sir?" He winked at his wife. _His wife_.

The preacher laughed, "By all means! Kiss your bride!"

And kiss her he certainly did.  
. . .  
. . .

_I can do this._

"_Say exactly how you feel…" _ The voice cut softly through the silence. Some were looking at her, but most were looking to the newlywed couple on the dance floor.

_I've faced Voldemort himself. I can do this._

"…_Right now you're free to say it all! There is no one here to judge you—I only love you—you're free to close your eyes and fall. You can trust me, this is real, say exactly how you feel."_

Both Harry and Ginny could dance well, but for a moment they simply stood wrapped in the other's arms.

"_Tell me all your dreams and what you think love means, we'll lock the world outside and embrace the gift of time, promising forever, knowing that this moment might be all we ever find."_

They were so in love.

"_Every breath of who you are tells a story that I love… I have finally found the truth in what I see in you, and what I feel with every touch. It's the simple beauty of your heart, in every breath of who are."_

Harry was singing to his wife softly. Hermione's lips curled into a small smile, but she closed her eyes and continued on with her performance. She was doing this for _them_, because they asked her to, and she wanted it to be special for them. Nobody else mattered. If only she could shield herself from the _piercing heat _of Sirius Black's gaze!

_I can do this!_

"_Tell me all your dreams and what you think love means! We'll lock the world outside, embrace the gift of time, promising forever… knowing that this moment might be all we ever find."_

The music slowed and her voice softened, _"Promising forever… knowing that this moment might be all we ever find._"

Cheers and applause rang through the glowing room, as much for those dancing as for the singer, but Hermione's cheeks flushed anyway (there were a few familiar hoots and hollers from those obnoxious groomsmen that she_ knew _were directed toward her) doing a little curtsy, she flashed a _thank-you_ smile and gladly left the stage.

The night progressed steadily without much thought as to when it would end. Even those that didn't like weddings had to admit that this one was fun. After the speeches, the cake, much dancing (Hermione was sure she must have blisters on her feet—and she hadn't even been wearing her shoes!) and an equal amount of laughter, most of the wedding party found themselves lounging around a table watching the ridiculous dance off that Bill's two young sons had somehow managed to start.

"Why didn't they start this _before _I pulled a muscle?" Fred whined, "I would have showed them _all_ what's what!"

Verity, who had just sat down, lifted an eyebrow. "And how exactly did you manage to pull a muscle_?"_

"Freek dawncing," Fleur said simply with a roll of her eyes.

"You mean you didn't _see _him?" Sirius chuckled as he sorted through a little bowl of Hershey's Kisses, "I don't know how you could have missed it!"

"Oh, please don't give him reason to do that again!" Hermione laughed.

Verity agreed. "Oh, I won't. He could sprain an ankle and then we'd never hear the end of his complaints!"

"Some girlfriend you are," Fred pouted.

_So they're dating_, Hermione smiled. They were cute together. She could faintly remember the day that a certain recently-dubbed Mrs. Potter had tried to convince her that she would be _perfect _for Fred, if only she could get past his obnoxious behavior. Now, the witch had to stifle her laughter behind a newly-manicured hand.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Ron poked at Sirius, "I thought only girls were picky with their chocolate!"

He was still sorting through the muggle candy. The simple Hershey's Kisses were one of Harry's favorites and Ginny had insisted they have them at the reception.

"Don't let Remus hear you saying that… and I'm just seeing what they say!"

"Oh, so chocolate talks now, does it?"

Shaking her head, Hermione turned her attention back to the dance floor. She couldn't help but smile softly. Oh, how different things would have been if they'd all kept in touch… but then, different might not have been better. _After all,_ who knows… _it might not have worked out the same._

The _thump _of something hitting her bare shoulder and falling on her lap interrupted her thoughts. Blinking, she picked up the Hershey's Kiss on her lap and glanced at Sirius, her lips twitching into a smile as she observed his cheesy grin. Turning her attention back to the candy, she pulled at the wrapper. The tiny banner read, _"Let's Go Out!"_

Confusion wrapped a thick fog around her mind for a moment. Was he serious? Was he just flirting? _How do I react…?! _Deciding to play it safe and not assume too much, Hermione only tossed him a little grin. "…Cute, Sirius. Very cute."

"See?" He nudged Fred. "I've still got it in me. The ladies still think I'm cute!"

"Whatever, man!" Ron snorted, "She just didn't want to hurt your feelings!"

Amused, Hermione arched a questioning eyebrow at Verity. _What did I miss? _ But Verity only shrugged and laughed, mumbling something about the insanity of men so Hermione decided to let it go.

"Yeah," George was saying, a little grin on his lips. "And she didn't say anything about it being sexy or hot, so I'm afraid you're sheer out of luck, mate."

Popping the chocolate candy in her mouth, Hermione's grin was sly. "Oh, I don't know… I'd say Mr. Black is sexy enough to cover whatever luck might have run out on him." _Oh, Merlin, did I just say that?_

Laughter rang around with jeers, hoots, and even some hollers. Sirius had a cocky grin on his face as Fred gave him a high five. But he also looked just a little bit red. Giddy butterflies erupted in Hermione's stomach as she read the wrapper once more. _Stop it, _she told herself firmly. This was no time to act like a school-girl with a ridiculous crush!

_But… he's just so cute!_

The giddy witch must have let out something of a despairing groan because Sirius plopped down in the seat next to her. _When had he gotten up? _His hand gentle on her shoulder, his head tilted in concern. "Are you alright?"

Flushing a bright red, Hermione forced a smile (an embarrassed smile, but a smile nonetheless). "Oh, yes… yes, I'm fine. Thanks."

He was looking at her funny, and she felt her face get warmer. "...If you're sure?"

"I am." She assured him, patting his leg in thanks. _Or am I?_

Sirius had suddenly brightened considerably. "Wonderful! In that case," He jumped from his seat, his fingers slipping down her arm and grasping hold of her hand, "Dance with me?"

She was up and laughing before she could complain about her sore feet, _not that she minded, it was Sirius, after all…_ and like Cinderella at her Ball, the time passed by without notice. Soon transformed into nothing more than a memory, the night was over and gone before Hermione had grasped hold of her Prince.  
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**A/N: **Woo, second chapter up quicker than I imagined it would be! Just to let you know… this is almost all I'd had pre-written. So, unless inspiration continues to bless me, I can't promise consistent updates! Oh! And in response to the question(s)… yes, you could say we're just pretending Sirius never went into the veil. I know, I know, it's completely AU, and I meant to warn you in the beginning… but I obviously failed to do that. Hope it doesn't bother too many people!

Thanks for the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

_The air was crisp, the autumn leaves seeming as numerous as the stars. From the wind, these leaves kept falling in their unending dance. Red, orange, yellow, green... they created a blanket of color. The invisible gusts of chilly breath swept round a young girl and an older man who kept each other company in the (or so they decided) pleasant weather._

"_I love autumn," The man stated. The girl smiled in response._

_"Me too..." She took a deep breath. "And I love the smell of _home."

_It was Hogwarts (the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry) that the girl spoke of. She had just returned to the magnificent castle from her autumn break. Her company, Sirius Black, had been finishing up business at the school with Headmaster Dumbledore when the young Hermione Granger arrived. Together they had set out to find Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, but somehow that mission had melted away. Now they simply walked and enjoyed the scenery. _

_Following Hermione's example, Sirius took a deep breath and smiled in a content that was painfully reminiscent. "Yeah… it's nice to be home." _

_And Hogwarts certainly was a home to more than just these two. Hermione knew that most everyone who had lived within its walls developed a special bond with the place. It wasn't _just a school_ to anybody._

_Sirius kicked at a rock. "What do you think you'll do when you're done with school?"_

_Hermione shrugged, "Run away to America and start a strip club?"_

_Eyebrows shot up and Sirius laughed loudly, sounding both shocked and amused. Tucking his hands in his coat pockets, he gave a thoughtful nod. "Yes, that sounds good. But I'll have to come with you, of course, to make sure nobody takes advantage of you and all that."_

"_Oh, of course..." Hermione grinned, "As if that wasn't the whole point of strip clubs in the first place!"_

"_And just how do you know anything about strip clubs?" Sirius teased.  
_

_Hermione flushed, only just realizing what topic she had managed to get them started on. "Well, boys talk about them often enough... it's kind of hard to ignore things like that—believe me, I try!"_

"_And you expect to be able to start a strip club off of that information?" His voice was completely serious, as if he were merely conversing about the coming snowstorm... but the grin on his lips gave him away. "Yes, you definitely wouldn't be able to start a successful strip club without me!"_

"_Oh, so now _you're_ the expert, are you?"_

"_Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." Sirius glanced at the girl (who was blushing) and seemed to suddenly realize what he had just said (and to who!) so he continued on in obvious play. "I'm _always _the expert in _everything_, 'Mione. You'd do well to remember it!"_

_A soft smile. _"..._I like that."_

_Sirius paused in confusion. "What, that I'm always the expert?"_

_She snorted. "No—sorry... I meant, I like 'Mione." Suddenly nervous, she started playing with her frizzy curls. "You see, Ron is always calling me Herm or Hermy, and it's just... ugh, and Harry only ever calls me Hermione. Not that I mind, of course, but he doesn't really have a nickname for me. I mean, Hermione is certainly better than _Hermy!_ But, well, you call me 'Mione... and I like it."_

"_Oh," He said._

_She bit her lip and looked away. She hadn't meant to make things awkward. But the leaves continued falling, the wind continued it's whispering, and the clouds continued moving over the fair blue sky._

"_Well!" Sirius said, cheerful and upbeat again. "I did tell you, didn't I? I am The Expert! So, it isn't surprising that I came up with the best nickname for you, now is it? Of course not! I am... The Expert!"_

_The girl began laughing. "Well, you could certainly do better for yourself. The Expert...? What kind of nickname is that?"_

"_Oh, but my dear," Sirius slid an arm over her should and began walking again. "That isn't a nickname."_

"_Oh, it's not?" She grinned up at him._

"_No," He agreed. "It's not."_

_A moment of silence and finally the girl poked him. "Well, then what is it?"_

"_The Expert, my wonderful lady, is a _title_."_

"_Oh," She smiled. "So _you're _The Expert, then?"_

_He threw up his arms in mock exasperation. She was sorry for the loss of warmth. "That's what I've been trying to tell you!"_

_She crossed her arms over her body. "So then, as The Expert, you can tell me..." She shifted awkwardly. "Will we live through this?"_

_Sirius Black froze. Hermione, however, took a few more steps. Perhaps if she distanced herself he would not notice that her eyes were moistening. She always questioned herself in private, of course, but voicing her fears made things different. Yes, voicing her fears somehow made them far too real. There was movement, both a sound and a feeling, and then he was standing in front of her. He grasped her chin, gentle but firm, forcing her to meet his gaze. _

"Yes,_" His voice was rough, thick with emotion. "Yes, we will. Because we have to have hope..." _

_Tears were leaking from the girl's eyes. She looked away in embarrassment. _

"_No, Hermione, look at me." _

_She did. _

"_We have to have hope; we have to be believe that we will live through this, that we will see the world a better place, that everything we do is good and right and will help us win the war in the end—and do you know why?"_

_Hermione's eyes clenched shut as if to keep the tears in, but the action only pushed more out. How had their light stroll turned so dark so suddenly? She shouldn't have said anything. _Merlin, but I'm always messing things up!

_His voice softened as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "We have to believe, because if we do not... then we have already lost the war." _

_She was trembling with emotion—the anxiety, fear, and despair seemed overwhelming. Sirius pulled her against him, hugging her tightly. She had always held in her tears around Harry and Ron. In fact, she quite simply_ always _held them in. But this fear haunted her continuously: what if she _died _before she really got to experience _life_?  
_

"_I've never even been kissed..." She was muttering in her despair. A horrific thought descended upon her. "Oh, Sirius, what if I _die _before I ever even get my first kiss?!"_

_It hit her quickly like a ton of bricks—_oh, how humiliating_—how silly she had just sounded. His lips twitched. Of all the things to worry about at a time like this—a _kiss…? _She offered herself a wry smile. His shoulders were shaking lightly with suppressed laughter. Yes, she must have sounded incredibly silly. Hermione pulled back to look at him, her smile growing into a sheepish grin. The eye contact was too much and both fell into laughter. Happy, relieved laughter... a laughter that spoke volumes, a laughter that said, _"We're going to be alright."

"_I'll tell you what," Sirius began. He tapped her nose with a smile. "I_ promise _to kiss you before you die."_

_Hermione giggled. "You promise?"_

_He nodded seriously. "I promise."_

_And so, in a comfortable silence, the two continued walking._

Live through the war, they did indeed. In fact, most everyone close to Hermione had survived. For that, she could only be grateful. But the witch had lost her parents in one of Voldemort's attempts to get to her… and sometimes she wondered if that wasn't worse than loosing her Hogwarts friends. _That's a terrible thought, _she would tell herself. _Almost as if you were wishing Harry, Ron or Ginny had died instead of them. _She knew that loosing her friends would have been just as painful, but she missed the familiar comfort of her_ mom _and her _dad._ Somehow it felt as if she'd lost the muggle half of herself in its entirety.

Immediately following the war was a time for friends and families to cling to each other, cherishing those they still had and mourning those they had lost. But in time all of that had faded. People everywhere got used to the peace. They forgot about how they once lived in fear of never seeing their son, daughter, mother, father or friend again… priorities shifted. Days began to be filled with the urgent rather than the important. People got busy.  
. . .  
. . .  
"Hello Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Thomas…" Hermione greeted the couple as they approached the counter. "What can I get for you today?" It was a small coffee shop that she was working at just then. She generally worked at the Ministry in the department of the Care of Magical Creatures, but she had taken time off to work at the Sugar Shack. _Merlin's beard, I went to school all that time to work at a coffee shop! _But it was _Ginny's_ shop, and Ginny was on her honey moon—thus Hermione's place as best friend and maid of honor required her to keep an eye on things.

And so the days went on much like this: Hermione taking orders and explaining why Ginny was missing to those who had somehow missed the news. (The Boy Who Lived was still quite famous, after all, and Ginny was well-loved.) Samantha, one of Ginny's employees and friends, would make sure that the orders were fulfilled when those people tried to interrogate Hermione even further. (Hermione Granger was quite famous herself, you know.) And so, she saw the same sorts of people, said the same things, and smiled the same smiles all day long.

Just as the Shack had quieted down and Hermione's lunch break rolled around, the catchy little jingle that alerted a newcomer went off. Growling in frustration, she plastered on a smile and turned around. The smile immediately faded.

"Hey beautiful, what are you doing here?"

"Seamus," Hermione greeted. Her irritation was plain and as she stepped around the counter, she arched an eyebrow. "I _was _working. Now I'm taking my _lunch break._"

Perhaps she had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. Maybe she hadn't gotten enough sleep... whatever the cause, Hermione's fuse felt short that day. So when that boy blocked her path with is idiotic grinning face, oh, how she wanted to punch him.

"Excuse me, Finnegan, I need to get by." She went to step around him and he blocked her again, his hands on her arms. _Dragon's breath, but he has the most deranged ways of flirting!_

The smug smirk on his face only increased every time she tried to get around him and he stepped in front of her. Taking a quick dodge to his right, she got halfway past him before he grabbed her arm and waist, and—laughing—pulled her back in front of him. Quite suddenly Hermione was more uncomfortable than irritated with the man being so close. The warmth of his hand on her waist was anything but pleasant.

"Look, Seamus…" She started, only wanting to get out of there. The shop's jingle sounded and, before she could go on, a familiar voice surprised her.

"Good morning, darling," The words rang into her ears. Hermione turned just in time to see Sirius Black slip an arm around her waist. His lips placed a soft peck on her cheek. Her heart stilled, her eyes fluttered shut. He was so _warm._

"Uhm, hi…?"

Seeing her bewilderment, the mischievous aristocrat flashed her a bright smile and winked. Suddenly she understood. Letting out a breath of air, she was both disappointed and relieved. She recovered quickly. "Hello, sweetheart… I didn't expect you for another fifteen minutes!"

He shrugged. "Well, I missed you. I haven't seen you in an _entire_ day you know…" He pouted pathetically and, turning her to face him, rubbed her nose with his. Seamus' face was priceless. Oh yes, he knew the infamous Sirius Black. Hermione would have laughed if the legendary Black's breath hadn't been caressing her lips like that.

"I missed you too." She told him, quite truthfully. _What a lame thing to say, _she thought, but she shrugged it off all the same. Glancing at Seamus, a small smile twitched on her lips. He looked so confused, so flabbergasted, it was almost funny. At the same time though, she felt the smallest bit of pity. He really did like her... but while it was kind of sweet and flattering, she had had enough.

"So, uhm… you want a coffee or something before we leave?" Hermione asked him, hoping that he would get the hint. She was on her break and more then ready to get out of there. Samantha could handle the Shack for a while.

Sirius shrugged. "How about we just get out of here now," he suggested. His other arm slipped around her waist. Leaning forward slightly he lowered his voice, just loud enough that Seamus could hear. "I'm craving a bit of something _else_…" He said 'seductively'. His eyes twinkled and he grinned. Hermione let out a breath. _Merlin, but he doesn't miss a beat!_

Hermione could see the mirth in his eyes but had trouble controlling her heartbeat as she glanced towards Seamus once more. He was standing in shock and surprise as he figured out (or he thought he did) what was going on. Struggling to keep in her giggles, Hermione returned Sirius' grin with a playful smile of her own.

"Hmmm… that sounds appealing. But I don't know what could be better then _my _coffee." She said dramatically. Shameless flirting in most anyone's eyes—too bad they weren't just playing.

"Oh trust me, this is_ much _better then coffee." Sirius retorted, pulling her towards the door.

"Sirius, wait!" Hermione squealed. The wizard let go of her hand long enough for the girl to pull off her black apron and set it behind the counter. She grinned somewhat mockingly at Seamus, who was still standing in shock. "See you later, Finnegan!" She told him cheerfully as she bounced out the door with Mr. Black. Pulling him round the corner, she started laughing.

"Thank you, so much!" She gasped. "That was incredible… I don't think I've ever seen Seamus that quiet in my life!"

Sirius laughed, shrugging humbly. "It wasn't any trouble, I just saw him bothering you and I thought I'd help out." The message seemed to Hermione to be, _I would have done it for anyone._

Blushing, the witch crossed her arms. "Well, thank you just the same."

They stood awkwardly for a moment.

"So," Sirius began suddenly. "Were you just heading for lunch?"

"I was, actually, yes."

"Then, shall we? I was getting rather hungry myself, you see."

Hermione smiled.

"I was serious you know," She started saying as they walked down the streets of Hogsmede. "I really don't know _anything _that could possibly be better then the Sugar Shack's coffee, especially when _I _make it." She smirked. "You really shouldn't have turned that offer down."

There was a pause. It seemed that Sirius was trying to decide how to respond.

"I was serious too," He told her finally. "What I've got really _is _much better then coffee. Maybe you should try it sometime." Giving her a playful smirk, the two fell into of laughter (and embarrassed giggles on Hermione's part) and walked, arm in arm, the rest of the day.  
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**A/N:**Thank you to all who are still reading… but an extra thank you, thank you, and _thank you_ to those of you who take the time to review. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. AND it gives me that extra push to keep writing. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

To be with joy in even the darkest circumstances is to be content. To be content is to be at peace and—to some degree or another—_happy_. That happiness, of course, is fleeting if it is without hope. To be content and with consistent hope for the future is to be _truly _happy. Therefore, being as hope, content, and joy were far from Hermione's mind the morning after her escapade with Finnegan and a certain Mr. Black, it is quite safe to say that she was _far _from happy!

"_What_ is this_?!" _Ron was yelling at her incredulously, shaking a newspaper in her face. He had come storming into her apartment fifteen minutes ago yelling something quite similar and had not stopped yelling since. "How long as this been going on?!"

Hermione had learned long ago that when Ron was left out of or did not understand something, he often reacted in anger. Now, when both occurred to Ron at the same time… well, it was best to let him blow off some steam before the real fight began. But then, as far as Hermione was concerned, this was not one of those occasions.

"…Merlin, Hermione! He's twice your age!"

She sighed in annoyance. Not only did she not have the slightest clue as to what was in the paper he kept waving in her face (rarely did she have the time to study the morning news) but every time she made a grab for it he flung it some other direction. _Is that a picture of...?_

"He's Harry's godfather! He's probably slept with every female in Europe and he's only using you!"

It must have been.

"I mean, _Sirius Black? _I've always known you were a little off your rocker, but this just proves you to be utterly _insane_!"

_Oh, no he did not._

"When my mother hears of this—"

"_How _dare _you...!" _Hermione was seething. She had snatched the paper from him in the midst of his pause (she'd been relatively quiet thus far, after all) and, putting it to good use, smacked him over the head. "You waltz into _my _apartment with the nerve to insult _my _intelligence when _everyone _knows that if it weren't for me, _you _would never have made it through Hogwarts! You scream at me for reasons that I am _completely _unaware—which wouldn't have been a problem in the first place if you had just bothered to _ask _for my side of the story and allow me to defend myself! _You, _Ronald Weasley, are by far the most immature, arrogant, and _pig-headed_ man on the face of this entire planet!"

"Yeah…? Well, at least when I'm lonely I don't stoop so low as to—"

"I think, Ronald, perhaps it would be best if you didn't finish that sentence." The voice was firm but gentle, commanding and yet merely suggesting an alternative route. It wasn't Hermione who spoke. Startled, the witch turned to see Remus Lupin standing in the kitchen doorway. She had not even heard him come in. He smiled at her and, nodding his greeting, turned back to Ron. "In fact… maybe it would be best if you took your leave before more than words are flying."

Scowling and more than obviously still angry and wanting to fight, Ron did just that, leaving with a final glare and a slam of the door.

Hermione sighed. "I am terribly sorry, Remus. You shouldn't have had to see that… and I _completely _forgot about watching Teddy today!" She rubbed her face wearily. "My head hasn't been on very straight lately, I'm afraid."

Her aging professor (for she still couldn't help but remember him as her professor) only chuckled, moving her toward the dining room table. She sat down with a thud and allowed herself to rest her head in her hands. "It's no trouble at all, Hermione. Change of plans, actually. Teddy is spending the day with Harry. I was coming over for two reasons… one being, obviously, to let you know just that."

When it became apparent that the werewolf wasn't going to continue, Hermione lifted her head, an eyebrow rising in question. He was sitting in front of her, studying her intently. She sighed again. "All right, what do you know that I don't… and are you going to tell me what the second reason for your visit is?"

Wordlessly, he slid the morning paper to her from across the table.

**WAR HERO'S HEART STOLEN BY **previously** CONVICTED MASS MURDERER!**

**…**_**Has her innocence been stolen as well? **_

Hermione's jaw dropped, anger flaring before she even read the article. The title was large and flashy—_on the front cover—_obviously meant to catch the attention of the random passerby. As if the title weren't enough, a picture accompanied it, one of herself and a certain Sirius Black. They were walking through Hogsmede. She was laughing at something he'd said (a joke he had made at Seamus' expense, she recalled) and he was grinning at her. An arm lifted and slid across her shoulders, tugging at a stray curl as he whispered something else in her ear (_"Perhaps you should try straightening your hair; Irishmen seem to go for girls with curls… I should know, I'm a quarter Irish, you see."_) and she had blushed in response.

"I assure you," Remus interrupted her thoughts. "The rest of the article is just as good."

Dread filled weighed her heart down to her stomach. No putting it off then….

_Everyone knows Hermione Granger. As a proclaimed War Hero and an intimate friend of The-Boy-Who-Lived, how could anyone not recognize her name? She is painted as the good girl, the hero, the intellectual, but I am one of the few who recognize her tendency to chase after the big boys (Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, Albus Dumbledore...) for what it is: a lust for fame. Oh, no, Hermione Granger doesn't waste time on the little boys. ("Ronald Weasley had been after her for years," An anonymous source informed me. "But she never gave him the time of day. Wasn't worth her time, I suppose.") Now she's after the sole heir to the Black family fortune. How much fame does one girl need?_

_Bad-Boy Sirius Black was notorious mass murderer and infamous follower of You-Know-Who. He was the first ever to escape Azkaban as well as the first to break through Hogwarts' doors undetected. He fell through The Veil in the Department of Mysteries and was believed to be dead when he was proven innocent and his official pardon was respectfully decreed. After heavy research on The Veil, not a year after his death, Sirius Black was resurrected. (Little more information has been given on the subject.) He was once the best friend of James Potter and so was named the Godfather of The-Boy-Who-Lived, who is Hermione's best friend. The man is, quite simply, famous. _

_Good-Girl Granger has interesting taste, wouldn't you agree?_

_Seamus Finnegan (an old school friend of Miss Granger) gives us special insight into this unexpected relationship. "Black was all over her—and she wasn't complaining. She left her work just to satisfy his cravings!" The implications are shocking. Finnegan knows Granger well, he claims, as they were once intimate lovers. He tells us this, "Granger definitely has a thing for the famous. _(She only pursued Finnegan until it became apparent that he wasn't pursuing a career in Quidditch.)_ Black definitely has a thing for pretty girls. I can't be sure who's using the other more."_

_Shocked? Surprised? Upset? _Angered, _even…? I was too._

_Is it possible that we have been being manipulated by the sweet-faced Hermione Granger all along?_

It was written by Rita Skeeter.

"Oh, that atrocious _flea _bag…!" Hermione screeched, standing in a fit and throwing the newspaper across the room. "How dare she! Harry? _Dumbledore?_ And I have _never _had sex with Seamus! How _dare_ she..."

"So, it's not true then?"

Hermione's jaw dropped in astonishment. Ron, she could understand—he'd always been somewhat of an idiot when it came to things like this. But could her _professor_ truly have believed…? Remus chuckled, as if in response to her thoughts.

"Allow me to rephrase my question. Are you, or are you not, in love with my best friend?"

Moments flashed in her mind—moments in which she had been caught speechless or unaware—such as the occasion that Ron had actually remembered her birthday and the time that they had had a Weasley dinner _without_ any argument or mischief. There was the moment in which she had stared at a Sirius Black that she _knew _had died. He'd _died_. But he was standing in front of her, very much alive, and grinning at her in that crooked way. She was very much speechless then. But nothing, _none of that_, could prepare her for this moment.

She stared at her old professor, mouth gaping, struggling to form an excuse or an explanation. But, there was nothing. He was regarding her with those all-knowing eyes, the ones you could not lie to… and yet, she couldn't simply speak the truth, could she? Hermione wasn't sure that she _knew _the truth anymore, anyway. When his lips began to twitch into a smile, she sank back down to her chair wearily.

Remus set his hand on top of hers and patted it gently. "I don't really mean to put you on the spot—though, I'll admit, it does bring back Marauder memories of doing similar things to people quite purposefully—but the article and the picture brought up this issue that I've been pondering over for a few good years now. You must understand: I simply couldn't pass the opportunity to gain new insight and clarification."

With wry amusement, Hermione stretched back in her chair and crossed her arms. "I wouldn't expect anything less of you Professor Lupin." She smiled as Remus groaned.

"I do wish you wouldn't call me that. It makes me feel so _terribly_ old… the professor of a girl finished with school as long as you have been!"

"You have to accept your age at some point, Professor…!" It was not unlike Hermione to tease the werewolf in this exact manner. In fact, it had become the very way in which the two expressed the trust in their friendship.

"Speaking of age—"

"Not you too please," It was Hermione's turn to groan. Her forehead fell against the wooden table with a _thunk._ "….At least, not right now, I can't take it!"

Lupin's voice was light when he spoke. "Might I suggest that age is merely a number, Miss Granger?"

The young witch lifted her head, "Might I remind you, Professor Lupin, that it is a number which is very important in all sorts of laws all over the world!"

He simply smiled. "You may, indeed. But I would be forced to remind _you_ that those laws do not apply to you or your situation and that, therefore, your problem does not lie in the numbers—not exactly—but in reputation, and your fear of loosing your good one."

Hermione fumbled for a response, but all she immediately came up with was far too defensive. This, she knew, only insinuated that he had guessed correctly and she didn't want him to give the man the satisfaction of knowing as much so soon. "Then I must point out that the article which brought you here today has already destroyed the reputation you speak of and, therefore, cannot be the issue."

"But I could also go deeper and suggest that it is not your reputation of the world that worries you and, rather, it is the good thoughts of those that know you best and are closest to your heart that you wish to keep and fear to loose."

_Another man that doesn't miss a beat… brilliant, just what I need at a time like this!_

"You, Remus, are far too astute."

Lupin laughed. "Yes, I've been told as much before."

The two sat in a comfortable silence for a few long moments. Finally, Hermione chuckled. "Well, aren't you going to start your inquisition?"

"On the contrary, my dear…!" Remus stood with a smile. "I'm going to return to my work and leave you to ponder the thoughts which I'm _sure _are pounding through that mind of yours." With a wink, he added. "You always were my brightest and most thoughtful student, after all!"

Before she could respond, he was gone.

Another long suffering sigh and, hesitantly, Hermione made her way over to the paper all askew on her kitchen floor. She picked it up and smoothed it out. Folding it back in half, she gazed at the picture once more. "_Perhaps you should try straightening your hair; Irishmen seem to go for girls with curls… I should know, I'm a quarter Irish, you see._" She couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips, fairly certain that she would never straighten her hair again. Despite the bitter taste the article had left on her lips, the picture really was very nice.

Perhaps she'd hang it on her fridge.  
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. . .**  
A/N: **Well, this is the shortest chapter I've written so far... and I know it was without the presence of Mr. Black, but I hope it was satisfying just the same. I rather like Remus in this chapter. Not that I ever don't like Remus, I suppose. Keep reviewing, please!


	5. Chapter 5

Sirius Black was in a state of utter turmoil. The very air around him seemed to whirl with anxiety. In his pacing he had bumped into his kitchen table which, in turn, wobbled the vase sitting atop it just a bit much - it fell over and spilled it's water and flowers onto floor. He hadn't even paused in his pacing. He'd walked into and around his bedroom a bit - until a foot got tangled in some clothes lying haphazardly on the floor - and in there he tripped... probably adding a few bruises to his scars. But he stood again and, with a decidedly dog-like shake of his head, he began his whirlwind pacing once more.

"Well, well, well...!" It was in this very state that Remus Lupin found his friend. For the first time in over forty minutes Sirius stopped his pacing. "I haven't seen you so worked up since sixth year. Do you remember? You were worried that you actually _liked _Matilda Agrette for more than just her looks!"

This did nothing to ease the worries of one Sirius Black. His face fell into something akin to helplessness and he started pacing again. Or rather, he would have, had Remus not interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Sirius, sit down, have a cup of tea. _Talk to me_, what's got you so worried?"

Falling back onto his sofa, Sirius gave a loud would-be-obnoxious groan. "I don't know what to do, Moony. I don't even know where to begin!"

Remus smiled and handed him a good-sized mug of steaming tea, freshly conjured. "Well, starting with the article would be nice. What _really _happened that day?"

Sirius' mouth fell open. "You've read it already?! It's not even ten o'clock!"

"Why are you so surprised?" Remus laughed. "It's far more surprising that _you've _read it!"

Allowing a small smile, Sirius inclined his head. "Touché, my friend."

There was a long pause in which Remus simply waited. You could only push so much, after all. He recognized the signs of Sirius gathering his thoughts and knew that the man would talk when he was ready. Sirius, on the other hand, wasn't sure his thoughts were going to cooperate with him this day. He couldn't hold on to any one thought for more than a few moments. With a deep sigh, he finally resigned himself to just _talking. _At least it was Moony; Moony had always been a good one to talk to.

"I was walking by that shop yesterday, the one that Ginny works at, when I saw that bloke - Seamus Finnegan, if you remember - all over Hermione. She was obviously uncomfortable and it seemed she was even telling him to leave her alone, but I'm not sure, so I just kind of..."

Remus finished, "Did what You do."

"Exactly. I burst in there all knight-in-shining-armor and got her out of a potentially bad situation. I took her to lunch afterwards to get her mind off of it... that's all, really."

"So you, what, punched the guy?"

For some strange reason Sirius' cheeks tinged red. Remus' eyebrows rose in intrigued amusement.

"Erm, no. I, uh, sort of _pretended-to-be-her-boyfriend..."_

Here, the werewolf's eyebrows rose even higher. He tried not to let his smile show. "So, you burst into the shop all knight-in-shining-armor like, pretend to be Hermione's boyfriend instead of simply telling Finnegan to back off, and then you take the damsel-in-distress out for lunch - _merely _to get her mind off the horrid beast, of course - where someone catches you _comforting _her and gets the wrong impression... is that it?"

Sirius, his face bright red, nodded his affirmation. It _might _have been convincing enough if he hadn't been shrugging his shoulders non-committedly at the same time.

"Give me a break Padfoot, I know you better than that." Remus sipped his tea. "When did you start falling for her?"

With his second helpless groan of the morning (in less than ten minutes on top of that) Sirius rubbed his face roughly with his hands. "I don't know. I don't even _know! _The wedding? Her graduation? Their sixth year? Merlin... it might even have been their _third _year when I first met her as that bossy little know-it-all!"

Remus allowed a smile this time. "Yes... she accused us of being in league together; out to get Harry and all that."

"She had already figured out about your furry little problem."

"She called you Mister Black."

"She saved my life."

Silence. Quiet, contemplative, thoughtful silence.

"You know," Sirius began. "I promised to kiss her before she died."

Remus frowned. "Is that all this is about, Sirius? Is this just because she's the only girl on the planet that you haven't gotten to make out with yet?"

"No!" Black's gray eyes flashed angrily. "_No, _that's not _all this is about! _Give me a little more credit, Remus. It's about her loyalty, her intellect, her compassion and her empathy... hell, it's even about her _temper _and that obnoxious stubborn streak! I just feel so... _different _when I'm with her. She can make me laugh more than any girl ever has. She's easily as smart as you - which is saying something - and can actually _challenge _me intellectually!"

"I don't suppose the fact that she's not bad to look at makes any impact on your feelings...?"

Sirius smiled. "She _is _bloody gorgeous, isn't she?"

"Well..." Remus leaned back into his seat, his tea now half gone. Sirius had yet to touch his. "Then I don't see the problem."

Eyes bulged. "Wha-? Don't see the problem?! Remus, I'm-"

"One of the most eligible bachelors in all of Europe... or did you not look at page nine?"

Sirius blinked in confusion. "I'm _what?"_

Lupin took another sip of his tea to hide his smile. "I said, according to the Daily Prophet, you are the second most eligible bachelor in all of Europe."

It took a few moments for Sirius to stop gaping like a goldfish. "But I'm old enough to be her _father!"_

"Does she strike you as the type to go for younger guys?"

"...Well, no, but-"

"Did you know she once had a crush on Severus Snape?"

"_Snape? _But-!"

"And Gilderoy Lockhart, of course."

"Oh, _of course._" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"She admitted quite some time ago to thinking that I was attractive."

"Yes, but - _what?!_"

"And she's _obviously _head-over-heals in love with you!"

"Fine, but..." Seeing he wasn't being interrupted this time, Sirius shook his head in confusion. "_What _did you say?"

"Face it, Padfoot. Any reason you could possibly have to stay away from her would only be excuses on your part. What are you so afraid of?"

Sighing, the animagus sank back into the couch. Remus frowned. Hopeless resignation didn't look good on Sirius.

"You read the artical. You saw what it said about her. How can I _knowingly _put her in a position to be slandered so much? It wouldn't stop, you know. She'd deal with the idiotic gossip and rumors forever. Hermione's never been one for the spotlight... I just can't do that to her. I wouldn't be worth it."

Instead of the understanding agreement that Sirius was expecting, Remus rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous! Hermione has lived in the spotlight since her first year of Hogwarts. Why...? Because she was friends with Harry. She could have cut ties with him at any time if she'd wanted to escape it, but she didn't. _Why? _Because she _cared _for him. Because, to her, he was _worth it. _ Do you think she regrets her friendship with Harry?" The question was rhetorical and he certainly didn't allow his friend to answer. "When _you _decide that _you _aren't worth the trouble... you are taking away the very freedom - the choice - that she _fought _for!"

Sirius had the decency to look a bit sheepish.

"Anyway, it's not like she isn't used to it... she dated Victor Krum for a while, you know. He's quite the famous bloke. And everyone thought she'd dated Harry. Might as well add you to the list, eh?"

Sirius rolled his eyes mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like, _"Oh, thanks."_

"Besides, she didn't seem too broken up about the article this morning."

"...What?"

"You heard me."

"I _know _I heard you! What I want to know is just why you were over there so early in the morning... and _why on earth haven't you said something before this?!"_

Remus laughed. "Relax! I simply apparated over there to let her know that she didn't need to babysit Teddy today. She read the article while I was there and didn't seem too worked up over the impressions that people might have gotten of the two of you together." _Nevermind that she was too busy seething about Ronald, Seamus, Dumbledore and Rita Skeeter to really worry much about the other implications of the article. _He held up his hand when Sirius tried to speak. "That's _all _I'm going to say."

With quite the undignified pout, Sirius folded his arms and huffed. After a few moments, however (in which Remus finished off his tea), a light smirk tilted the corners of his mouth upwards. It might even have been a _smile. _Feeling quite self-satisfied and smug, Remus Lupin watched as Sirius Black leaned forward and grabbed his cup of tea... looking _much _more confident than he had just half an hour previously.

Yes, the werewolf had done a good job.

...

**A/N: **Wow! Been a while. I know it's a bit short but I just wanted to get something up _so bad_...! I'll try to update again soon. I think life is beginning to settle back down. Erm, a little bit, at least. Thank you for the reviews and for the patience! I love hearing the comments about the new interest in Sirius/Hermione. I know exactly how it is when a particular story or writer turns you on to a pairing you wouldn't have been interested in previously... so it makes me happy to do the same for others! Hope this new (incredibly short for such a long wait) chapter was enjoyable!


	6. Chapter 6

When Ginny Weasley... erm, _Potter_, walked into the kitchen that morning to find her husband reading the newspaper, she thought little of it. Harry did like keeping up with the news, after all. She hummed a quiet tune as she rounded the table to give him a kiss on the head. But when her eyes skimmed over the newspaper there were a few words that screamed for her attention: WAR HERO'S HEART STOLEN BY _previously _CONVICTED MASS MURDERER! Surely you couldn't blame her for her sudden interest. Snatching the paper from Harry she skimmed through the content of the article and squealed over the picture.

"I KNEW it!"

Harry stood up, bewildered. "You _knew _about this?"

"Of course I knew about it, you dolt! Oh, I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean that... but she's my _best friend_. A girl notices things, you know! I can't believe they've finally gotten the guts to make it _official! _Wait, does this say it's official...? It doesn't! Oh, no, _Seamus_, that bastard... she's probably worked herself into a tizzy over this. She's going to need to vent, _oh_, I need to visit her! You don't mind, do you, Harry? Of course you don't; you're such a good guy. I'll be back in an hour or two! I love you!" With a _POP_ she was gone.

Harry blinked. _"Women._" He was sure she became a little more like her mother every day.

. . .

"Hermione Granger, where are you?!"

The woman in qestion blinked blearily in her half-asleep state. _Ginny? _She'd decided to take a hot bath after Remus had taken his leave... she must have fallen asleep. Was she still dreaming?

"So help me, woman, if you aren't here...!" No, definitely not dreaming.

Hermione slowly stood up. "I'm in the bath!" She hollared, "I'll be right out!"

_"Hurry up!"_

Chuckling, but excited to see her friend, Hermione proceeded to do just that. She pulled her hair back quickly and patted her face dry with a small towel. She wiped her toes on the rug and slid her feet into her slippers. She pulled on her comfy bathrobe and tied it around her waist. When she rounded the corner into the sitting room Ginny was sitting with tea and sandwhiches all ready, looking far too serious for Hermione's liking.

"Tell. Me. _Everything._"

Hermione let out a relieved sigh and plopped onto the couch (in a very unladylike manner). "I like Sirius."

"...That's it? I could have told you that years ago! _You _could have told you that years ago!"

They both laughed.

"I've tried so hard not to, though! I just... can't help it."

Ginny smiled. "I can't really blame you; I'd be all over him if I didn't love Harry so much!"

Hermione gasped, "_Ginny!"_

"What? He's sexy! Not to mention cute and very sweet when he wants to be." Hermione's expression had softened wistfully. Ginny continued thoughtfully, "Of course... he was never exactly _sweet _to me. More like an irritating older brother, really. But he was always doing sweet things for you, wasn't he? So he is definitely able to be quite sweet."

"What do you mean he was always doing sweet things for me?"

Ginny blinked. _Had she really not noticed? _"Well, like the time you were sick at Hogwarts during Hogsmede Weekend. We were jerks and left you there by yourself and Sirius went to visit you as Padfoot. That was definitely a sweet thing to do."

Hermione was smiling. "Yes, I suppose that was, wasn't it?"

"How about that time at headquarters when Ron made fun of you saying that reading wasn't cool and that you should cut back. Sirius spent the _entire _next day just reading with you in the library, remember? Sirius has always been the epitnome of Cool to Ronald, so he made quite a good point. That was sweet of him, I'd say."

Now that Ginny had started talking about it, Hermione was beginning to remember quite a few times when Sirius had been incredibly sweet. _Have I ever thanked him for it? _Yes, of course. _Have I, _really?

The girls spent the next half an hour going over, in detail, what had happened at the Sugar Shack to lead to such a scandalous article. They would have continued talking for hours had Tonks not interrupted them with a knock on the front door. She entered, like most of the Order did, without waiting for an answer.

"Hermione...?"

"In the sitting room!"

Though Nymphradora's last name had been legally changed to Lupin quite some time ago, very few had attempted to revise her nickname. The few who had tried to do so soon found it all too difficult to remember so consistently. It wasn't long before she was simply Tonks to everyone once more. "Wotcher, Ginny! Didn't expect to see you here, although I should have, I suppose..."

Hermione groaned, "Does _everybody _in the entire _world _know?!"

"Don't be silly," Tonks laughed. "It's only everybody in the wizarding world!"

Hermione turned red in embarassment and, with a sigh, attempted to change the subject. "Did you need something, Tonks? Oh, I hope Remus didn't have it all wrong... Harry _does _have Teddy today, doesn't he?"

"What?" Ginny was surprised. "Harry has Teddy today?"

"Yeah, I just dropped him off. I noticed you weren't there but I guess I didn't think too much about it." The Mrs. Lupin shrugged. "Anyway, no worries about that, Hermione. I was just stopping by to see if you'd like to go to dinner with Remus and I tonight!" As an afterthought, she added. "You can come too of course, Ginny."

"I'd love to," The redhead smiled regretfully. "But I promised Harry I'd be back in an hour or two and it's probably been about an hour."

_She'd been counting on that._

Hermione frowned. "He hasn't read it yet, has he? Oh, Merlin, if he reacts as bad as Ron...!"

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "Ron? You didn't tell me anything about Ron! Oh, well, that's a story for another time I guess... I'll see you later." It was obvious that Hermione was still worrying about Harry. Ginny pulled her into a hug. "He'll be _fine_ with it. Just give him a day or two. He'll have his head straight by then... trust me!" With a wink and a _POP _she was gone.

There was a moment of silence.

"Well," Tonks began enthusiastically. "Dinner tonight then?"

Hermione smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

"Be ready around six o'clock then, yeah? See you later!" And with another _POP _Tonks, too, was gone.

The muggle-born witch shook her head. _Been a witch for thirteen years and I'm _still _not used to that._

It was about four thirty in the afternoon when Hermione decided to begin getting ready for the night. She was, however, faced with a problem rather swiftly. Tonks never said where they were going and, therefore, she did not know how formal she should dress. The witch frowned. Being as it was with Tonks, she didn't think they'd be going anywhere too fancy. But, being as it was also with Remus, she wasn't so sure. Though the werewolf himself wasn't so highclass, he _did _enjoy things of high quality and (even moreso) treating his friends to something truly nice when he was able.

An hour later the girl analyzed her reflection in a mirror. She had decided to play it safe with some nice slacks, a dressy top, and one of her more expensive jackets. _I should be able to get away with being dressy or casual in this..._ She'd spent a little more time than usual on her hair. She thought herself to look quite nice, really, and wished that Sirius would see her like this. _Not that that my world revolves around him or anything._ The thoughts came unbidden and made her cheeks turn pink.

"Stop it, just stop it. You don't need to be thinking about him. It only stresses you out." Hermione let out a deep sigh and proceeded to apply a light dusting of makeup. "Talking to yourself again," She muttered.

As she finished fifteen minutes early, Hermione placed her favorite beaded black flats next to the front door and retreated to the couch, where she set herself down with a sigh. All things considering, she'd really been rather busy lately. There had been the wedding planning, the shopping, the rehersals, and then finally the wedding itself. That, of course, led to her taking over work for Ginny - which had caused her own work schedule to fall out of whack. Then she had had that eventful day with Sirius... and now she was out to dinner with Remus and Tonks. _I should be used to it, I suppose. At least nobody's been kidnapped into dark chambers and we aren't being stalked by death eaters. _The thought brought a moment of somber reflection to mind.

Were things really so different? It had been seven years. Seven years was a long time; it was her entire life at school. But those seven years had seemed to fly by. During the war every day seemed to itch by slowly... you couldn't help but wonder every day if that day were to be your last. But now that there was peace and freedom each day flew by without thought. Hermione surmised that she didn't even have time to _enjoy _life anymore.

_How pathetic is that?_

The bell rang, alerting her to someone at her front door. She stood as the door opened - yes, it must be Remus and Tonks - but it was not Remus _or _Tonks at all!

"_Sirius?_"

He stood with a beautiful boquet of red and golden orchids, a crooked smile on his face. "That's my name. I am to be your escort tonight!"

Hermione had been frozen, absolutely flabbergasted, for a good five seconds. When it became apparent that Sirius was feeling a bit awkward, she shook herself out of her stupor and smiled at him. "Gryffindor forever, eh?" She gestured to the colorful flowers.

This only served to make him blush. She loved it when he blushed.

"Yes, well," He took a step closer and held them out to her. She accepted them gratefully. "They reminded me of you."  
_  
_"These are perfect, Sirius. Thank you."

He only smiled at her.

"Well, erm, let me just find a vase to put these in and we can head out."

Before she could even turn to do just that, Sirius had summoned a vase from the kitchen along with a glass of water to pour in it. "There you go. A bit quicker with magic, wouldn't you say?"

This time it was Hermione who blushed. "Yes, well. Is it odd that I sometimes forget I'm a witch?"

Sirius chuckled. "Only when you're in the presence of a wizard."

When they met up with Remus and Tonks it was at Ricciano's - an upscale Italian resturaunt. Hermione was glad she hadn't gone in jeans. Remus smiled innocently when Hermione arched her eyebrow at his new matchmaker-like meddling (though his eyes held a mischevious twinkle and Hermione didn't really mind) and Tonks looked smug all night. It was a good two and a half hours later when the small group left Ricciano's. They were laughing about a story Tonks had told about Teddy, with Remus' help of course, when Sirius bumped into a small woman with long brown hair and light blue eyes. Or, rather, she would have been small if it weren't for her obviously pregnant tummy.

"Way to go Sirius; run over the pregnant woman!" Remus clapped him on the shoulder. Sirius payed him no mind, he was too busy gaping at the woman in front of him.

_"Sophie?"_

"Oh!" She gasped. "Sirius! It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

Remus and Tonks exchanged confused glances while Hermione simply stood to the side patiently.

"Yeah! Wow, I certainly didn't expect to run into you here... uhm, Sophie, these are my friends-" He pointed to each as he spoke their name. "Remus, Tonks, and Hermione. This is Sophia."

"Call me Sophie," She smiled brightly and gave a cute little wave.

Hermione looked thoughtful. She'd never met Sophie before, never even heard of her, and she wondered if this woman was an old friend from school. _No, Remus didn't know her... and she's too young for that. Not much older than me, I'd guess. _An old fling then, she assumed, but then she couldn't have been _that _old of a fling... she wasn't that old! Hermione couldn't help the little stir of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. She pushed it away quickly.

"Nice to meet you, Sophie." Hermione smiled at her. "How far along are you?"

Sophie seemed to analyze the group for a moment before answering. "Almost eight months."

"So..." Sirius appeared awkward and still, perhaps, a bit flabbergasted. "You're pregnant!"

Everybody laughed at him (Remus muttering something about being slow and Tonks about stating the obvious). But Sophie laughed a bit nervously. Her hands moved to her round stomach. "Yes, yes I am."

"Well that's new! ...Er, since the last time I saw you anyway. Congratulations."

"Well," She began. "I really should be offering congratulations to _you_, Sirius."

Unconsciously Sirius took a step back. He looked at her warily. "What do you mean?"

"I was going to put this off for a few more weeks, but... well, since you're here..." Everybody's eyes had grown progressively wider as she spoke. In a different situation their expressions would have been comical. "Congratualtions, Sirius! You're a daddy!"

Hermione almost fainted.

. . .

**A/N: **Not too shabby... a fair sized chapter in just over a week! Told you I'd update soon. So now we've got a little bit of ever-so-typical drama. Hurrah! Let me know what you think. Oh, yes, and I recently posted a new story called Regretting Regrets. It's a George/Hermione oneshot. Check it out and let me know what you think about _that _one too. It's already been added to favorites but it hasn't been reviewed! What am I supposed to think about that? Speaking of reviews; THANK YOU! (That's for the reviewers, of course.) I know it's silly but I totally lose all incentive to write when I don't get feedback. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint!


	7. The End

Hermione didn't faint. Her heart stopped beating for a few lengthy seconds, true, and then it started pounding erratically while all of the blood rushed to her head. She went from deathly pale to an angry red even while Sirius simply shook his head firmly.

"That's impossible."

For some reason, which Hermione was most likely not ready to admit (but probably had to do with personal insecurity), her anger flared wildly. He was such a _child._ He'd _always _been childish. He'd been the king of pranks in school. He had a hot temper and was irrational which, in turn, led to his stupid childish arse getting thrown into Azkaban. He'd been a womanizer back in his day and, evidently, was _still _a womanizer now! Is this who he really was? He'd appeal to a woman, get her to trust him, bed her, leave her and then (for those who end up pregnant) refuse to admit that it ever happened? She was just a part of his game. _Why did I think I could be different?_

"Oh, I cannot even believe you, Black! At least accept responsibility for your own stupidity." She glared at him violently, "It's about bloody time your childish arse _grows up!"_

And then, deciding that maybe her friends had it right, she disappeared with a _POP _before anybody had a chance to say anything_._

There were a few moments of silence before all hell broke lose.

"Sirius, you idiotic son of a-"

"I can't believe you would actually-"

"She's a conniving little-"

"Now look what you've done you-"

"We never even-"

"What are you talking about-"

"Maybe we should go to my place and talk this out," Sophie interrupted the them, adding sweetly, "Darling."

Sirius gaped at her like a goldfish. "There is _nothing _to talk out! ...And _don't _call me that!"

In a manner that very much resembled a wounded puppy, Sophie's eyes widened. "You mean, you... you don't want to be a part of your... your _son's _life?"

His glare was harsh. "Trust me, if I _had _a son I would have every intention of being a part of his life. But I _don't._"

Sophie looked at Remus and Tonks who were exchanging uncertain glances. "He's in denial," She nodded sadly. "I've seen this before."

Sirius arched a sardonic eyebrow. "And just how many men have you gone through this with, Sophie...? Quite a few, I'd guess."

"Sirius," Tonks warned. They were starting to attract some attention.

"That was just mean," Sophie sniffed. "I'll have you know you're the only man I've slept with this entire year."

"Ha!" Sirius laughed at the outrageous notion. "Then I don't know how you're in this situation, _darling_, seeing as we've _never had sex._"

For a short moment Sophie looked confused. But then it was gone. "What are you talking about?" She snapped. "Of course we did. That night at the pub…"

"You were all over me and entirely annoying. I bought you a few drinks figuring you might leave me alone after that. Instead, you got completely smashed - you _must _be a lightweight - and you could hardly stand at all. Your friend told me it was _my _fault and gave me your address, so I dropped you off at your apartment, dumped you on your bed and left. _Nothing happened."_

It was now Sophie who gaped like a fish. "But I, I mean, I..."

"Assume far too much; did you honestly think I _re-dressed _you after sleeping with you? Real men don't like girls who make things easy and you were _far _from a challenge." _Maybe a bit harsh. But honestly! Who does she think she's fooling? ...Bullocks. Hermione._

Immediately the sweet Sophie morphed into something else entirely. "You wouldn't have been a good lay anyway," She snarled. "Merlin, you're probably gay. Not that I need you," She stuck up her nose. "I've got five guys handing over the cash for child support as it is."

Tonks' jaw dropped. Remus seemed amused.

Sirius merely laughed again. "How'd you manage that if I'm the only guy you've slept with?"

Her mouth moved but nothing came out. Cheeks stained red, she huffed at him and - _what is it with women and dramatic exits - _disappeared with a POP. Remus and Sirius exchanged heavy glances. Damn, Sirius had quite the mess to clean up. What was he going to say to Hermione? Would she even _listen _to him right now? When he voiced these questions Tonks patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"The truth; tell her the truth." Pause. "You might want to let me do some damage-control first."

His shoulders relaxed immediately and, hopefully, he inquired. "Will you, please?"

Tonks smiled and - _POP!  
_

_. . ._

Hermione's anger subsided almost as soon as she stepped inside her flat. Feeling absolutely morose (and pathetic) she kicked off her shoes as she walked into the house. She threw off her jacket as she walked down the hall and, as soon as she reached her room, fell upon her bed with fantastic dramatic flare. _Was I really so stupid?_ If she were honest, something about the whole situation didn't feel right. Sirius had always seemed so... sincere. But he was a good actor. She'd heard plenty of stories of his "charm" getting him out of trouble back in his school days. _Charm_, she thought bitterly, _a pretty word for lies._

Sighing, Hermione told herself she wasn't being fair. He hadn't had any real ties to her that long ago and it wasn't as if he _knew _he was the father of a tiny being inside of some woman's stomach. But then, what was she to think of his denial?

There was a knock on her front door. Immediately she tensed.

"Hermione...?"

Tonks. She relaxed only slightly but stood from her place (curled on the bed) reluctantly.

"Here, Tonks," She walked down the hall tiredly. "I'm here."

Unsure as to how she was to comfort Hermione without telling her what, in Tonks' opinion, Sirius needed to tell her himself, there was silence for a while. Finally, Tonks made an attempt. "Look, Hermione, I know you're upset right now but you really need to talk to him."

Hermione shook her head adamantly while crossing her arms. "I don't want to talk to him right now."

"I know, trust me, I know..." Tonks tried to choose her words carefully. "You missed a lot of stuff when you left, important stuff, and I _promise _that if you just let Sirius explain you'll see that this entire situation was just one big misunderstanding." _That's what I'm afraid of,_ Hermione thought wryly. _I've misunderstood his intentions; he never really had any interest in me..._ "He may be a smarmy git sometimes, Merlin knows I won't argue with that, but this was not one of those times. Give him a chance, yeah?"

Hermione let out a deep sigh, her arms dropping from their defensive position crossed over her body. "Alright, yeah. I suppose he's waiting outside or something?"

Curiously, Tonks pulled the door open and laughed. "Well, look at that; he is!"

Hermione watched as Sirius stepped nervously through the doorway. The sight caused Hermione's lips to quirk into a smile. Was she really so scary? Tonks stepped out.

Awkward silence; far too awkward. Hermione's arms crossed over herself protectively once more. "Well?"

Sirius stepped forward. "Look, Hermione, it's not what it looked like-"

"That's what Tonks was saying. But, then again, that also happens to be a well known phrase that is generally used once someone gets caught doing something that is _exactly _what it looks like. So, forgive me if I have my doubts."

"I get that," He saw her distress and moved to run a hand through her hair, to hug her, to touch her shoulder... something. But stopped. She wouldn't be receptive to his attentions right now. He sighed in frustration. "I know how it must have seemed to you but it's not - what I mean to say is - Sophie isn't... I've never had anything to do with her!"

Hermione's shoulders had relaxed slightly over the course of his speech but her arms remained crossed. She quirked an eyebrow. "Explain, please?" And so Sirius did just that. He went on to tell her exactly what he told Sophie, offering more detail of his night, and Hermione was left feeling quite silly when he was done. "...So you, ehm, _didn't _have sex with her?"

"No!" In his relief the exclamation was quick. In exasperation, though, he blurted without thought: "I was too in love with _you_!"

Time seemed to altogether freeze. Hermione's heart had stopped. All expression disappeared from Sirius' face... and then, quite suddenly, he looked to be on the verge of a panic attack. _What did he just say? _Sure, this Mister Black had been wondering over the depth of his feelings toward Miss Granger for quite some time now… but _love _her? He'd never been completely sure of it before and, yet, he experienced no doubt now. Well, except for the doubt of his sanity. Hermione still stood in shocked silence. How had such a comment come from his lips with such lack of finesse? Since when was he anything less than smooth in these matters?

"Look, Hermione..." And though these words created a sense of deja vu, something different happened this time around. Hermione moved forward and didn't stop until she stood directly in front of him.

Sirius gulped and couldn't continue with his excuse. His mind had stopped working. She was looking up at him with such abundant expression in her big brown eyes but he still couldn't tell what she was thinking. She was close enough for him to count the tiny freckles across her nose. She was so near that he could smell the Raspberry Vanilla that was from her shampoo and, he noted even in his absence of mind, that her hair was curled in perfect little ringlets. He would have liked to think she'd done it especially for him but, no, that was a bit too pompous to assume... even for Sirius Black.

"Say it again," She whispered. The words were disbelieving but her eyes were now hopeful.

It suddenly occurred to Sirius (with an incredible force) that he _did _love Hermione Granger. He was quite certain, in fact, that he'd never felt this strongly for _anyone_! Not even for Matilda Agrette had his heart danced in such fashions... and he had once fancied himself in love with her too. But (and here we find the most notable difference) he had run away from Matilda upon that realization and Sirius Black certainly had no intent in removing himself from the presence of Hermione Granger. _Ever_. Or, more than was necessary, at least.

And so, taking her hands in his, Sirius caressed them gently. "'Mione...?" He began softly.

"Yes?" Her voice was breathy.

His forehead is leaning against hers now as, with all the finesse in the world, he says: "_I love you_."

She was at once hit by insecurity; could this possibly be some grand joke? But she was simultaneously sure, more sure than of anything ever before, that what she had just heard was as serious and heartfelt a statement as Sirius Black ever could make. Her insecurity was washed away and, with it gone, Hermione's heart felt so full of new emotions that it could burst.

One of her hands pulled away from his... but only to be placed gently upon his cheek. It was but the slightest bit scruffy beneath her hand. She scooted toward him. His heart beat wildly, _desperate _to hear her return his sentiments.

"Well," She smiled. "That works out well for me because, you see, _I _happen to be in love with _you_."

Her smile was so contagious that he couldn't help but smile himself. Then he was grinning and, quite soon after, laughing with such a delight that Hermione couldn't help but join in! So he was swinging her around in circles and clutching her to him tightly, both feeling as though a huge burden had been lifted from their shoulders. It was when they became still though, smiling softly at each other, that his warm lips pressed gently against hers.

Two hearts shared an incredible connection that night. There was a blooming excitement, a _hope_, for the future. There was tranquility, a peaceful _content_, in what was happening now. There was certainly a plenty of sheer joy and, ultimately, Hermione was sure that she had never been happier. She wondered if Sirius Black could even possibly feel the same way. The twinkle in his eyes told her all she needed to know, and so, Hermione was positive that (at that moment, at least) they were two of the happiest people alive.

**THE END**

. . .

**A/N:** I know, The End, there was no warning! I was starting to hit some major writer's block, though, and I really didn't want this to be one of those stories that drag on forever just because. I am, however, considering adding an Epilogue! This chapter was incredibly difficult for me to put together, which is why it's taken so long. Please forgive me! Thank you so much to all who have read and to those who have reviewed. I hope you enjoyed reading this at least as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think. I personally rather liked Sophie in that way that you love to hate people!


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